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Superhuman Army
The Superhuman Army ( ) is the denomination used by a group of enemies from Strider 2, seemingly also referred to as Artificial Mutants ( ). The term "superhuman" refers to humans who have enhanced their abilities through extensive body modificationCapcom (2000, PlayStation). Strider 2. Instruction Manual, either from cybernetic implants and/or genetic tampering. These processes have become a very popular fashion across the population of Earth, and as a result have contributed to the pronounced social decay suffered by humanity at large. The Superhuman Army Project ( )Capcom (1999). Capcom Secret File #26: Strider Hiryu 2 (Japanese). Pg. 3 is a project funded by the shadowy organization ruling over the world, whose aim is to engineer superior soldiers through those modifications. Members of this project present bizarre mechanical implants or abilities born from human experimentation. Hiryu comes across several of these soldiers during his mission to exterminate Grandmaster Meio. Information Solo Solo is said to be the first successful prototype of the project, which has led to a mass-production line of drone fighters based on his template, known as the "Solo Mass Produced Models". Bianfu Bo Appears in Stage 1 (Neo Hong Kong City), Scene 3 Bianfu Bo ( biānfú bó, lit. Count Bat)Capcom (February 22, 2014). Strider Hiryu Visual Chronicle (Japanese). Pg. 37 appears as an enemy during the Chinese terrorist strike in Neo Hong Kong City. He has his entire body replaced with a mechanical form which resembles a bird of prey or (given its name) a human-sized bat with big sharpened wings and talons to which he can stick to walls. When he spots Hiryu, Bianfu Bo flies in the air for a second and then dives full-force at Hiryu's direction, trying to slash him apart with his sharp wings. Antarctic Guards The Antarctic Guards are soldiers found in the Antarctica Research Lab, forming part of Kraken Chemical's privaty army. These soldiers have been chemically enhanced to display a noticeable increase of either fat or muscle mass, both designed for specific purposes. Hockey Soldier Appears in Stage 3 (Antarctica Research Lab), Scenes 1 and 3. The Hockey Soldiers ( )Capcom (February 22, 2014). Strider Hiryu Visual Chronicle (Japanese). Pg. 39 are an enemy unit stationed in the Antarctica Research Lab, as another unit in Kraken Chemical's private army. They are costumed in a blue winter suit with a beaked golden helmet, and wield hockey sticks as weapons. They have replaced their feet with jet-propelled skis, which allow them to effortlessly slide in the snow and perform high jumps. As they are very weak enemies, these soldiers attack on large groups, quickly moving in and swinging their hockey sticks at Hiryu. Assasin Unit Appears in Stage 4 (Flying Battleship Balrog), Scene 4. The Assassin Unit ( )Capcom (February 22, 2014). Strider Hiryu Visual Chronicle (Japanese). Pg. 44 is a stealth soldier unit confronted in the Balrog's Development Dock. These soldiers wear full-body tights with a large red core on their backs, and are capable of turning invisible. There are two types: the green type can resist one attack, jumping backwards when hit. These enemies ambush Hiryu using their camouflage, then attempt to strike him with two different weapons according to distance: if close, they produce a Shock Knife ( ), a small two-pronged electric weapon with a gun-like trigger handle, and strike at Hiryu with an extended fist. If they are at a distance, they will reveal a Shock Anchor ( ), a small electric blade attached to a wire hidden inside their wrists, and swing it straight at Hiryu's position. Space Infantryman Appears in Stage 5 (The Third Moon), Scene 1 and 2. The Space Infantryman ( )MVP (April 28, 2000). "Enhanced Struggle Tactics: Strider Hiryu 2" (Japanese). Monthly Arcadia (06). Pg. 99.Capcom (February 22, 2014). Strider Hiryu Visual Chronicle (Japanese). Pg. 45 is the soldier-type enemy that guards the Third Moon. These odd-looking humans are clad in full body armor, and move by slowly floating and rolling in mid-air. They wear an uniform bearing what appears to be a winged logo similar to the one in the Balrog's Infantry uniforms, possibly related to Light Sword Cypher. They have two weapons to engage Hiryu depending on their distance to him: if he's close to them, they will swing a plasma sword generated from a knuckle-like device; if he's far away, they will shoot at him with a large, circular plasma gun held in their other hand. Design Notes This group of enemy character were said to be a major factor in the building of Strider 2's setting and view of the world, which also meant they were particularly difficult to design. The basic idea behind the Superhuman Army appears to be inspired by the concept of the transhuman: human beings with enhanced abilities that go beyond those of standard humans, born from mechanical or genetic enhancements. Gallery Str2 solo artwork.png|Solo, the project's first success Str2_bianfu_bo_concept.png|Bianfu Bo concept art Str2 antarctic guard muscle.png|Muscle-enhanced Antarctic Guard Str2_hockey_soldier_concept.png|Hockey Soldier concept art Str2_assassin_unit_concept.png|Assassin Unit concept art Str2_space_infantryman_concept.png|Space Infantryman concept art References Category:Groups Category:Stage Enemies